Payment
by Aggie Escott
Summary: Sean is in trouble, and calls Aaron to help him.
1. Sean

**Payment  
**Chapter 1  
Sean

_**I don't believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. It makes them siblings, gives them mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at. ~Maya Angelou **_

Bending carefully, he picked up a chair that had escaped the destruction. He stood it upright and sat on it, nursing his bruised ribs. He felt sick with worry and fear. These men meant business, and when they said they would break his legs next time, he didn't doubt it.

He bent down with a groan and picked up the telephone. He dialled Linda, and tried to catch his breath while he listened to the ring tone. He hoped that she hadn't left yet.

'Linda...' he said as she answered the phone.

'Hey Blondie, what's so urgent that it couldn't wait until I got there?' the voice on the end of the phone said.

'Actually, Lin, I'm not feeling very well. Can I put you off tonight? I'll see you tomorrow instead.'

'If you're sick, let me come over and be your nurse. I promise you'll like it. I have a terrific bedside manner.'

'No don't come. It..... erm ...... might be catching. I'll call you tomorrow.' He hated to lie to her, but he didn't want her frightened

'Ok if you're sure. I love you.'

'Love you too, Lin. Bye.'

Sean put the phone down and dropped it on the floor. How the hell was he going to handle this?

He had bought the premises and converted it into a restaurant only three months before in what Linda described as pre-gentrified. Less charitable folk might have called it a slum. But Sean worked hard, and two months ago, he had opened the restaurant to front page banners in the local rag. It was his dream come true, until the gang started to demand money off him.

He had no money – every cent had gone into the business.

He stood up slowly and lifted his tee shirt, and studied the reflection in the broken mirror behind the counter. His ribs were red and beginning to show fist marks. Resignedly, he began to pick up the wreckage of his restaurant and wonder what the hell he was going to do.

-0-0-0-

Hotch absently rubbed at his leg while he looked through the reports of the last case. It was the only one since he had been back at work and the BAU was reinstated. His leg still hurt where he had been shot, but he wasn't about to let that stop him working. He was finally breathing through his nose now the swelling had gone down, and all the stitches were out.

He stood up and walked around his desk on the pretext of watching his team through the window. In fact he was stopping his leg from seizing up, something it did if he was still for too long.

He watched Reid. When they had both been so ill, Reid had told him that he was in love with him. Hotch had explained to him that that kind of love was not possible with him, but he had needed the comfort and so had let Reid hold him.

Since they had been out of hospital and back at work, though, Reid had kept his distance. Hotch was glad of that, although he was a little confused by it. He could only assume it was because there was never going to be the same in return. But he did catch Reid looking st him sometimes, and it broke his heart that he couldn't return the love he was getting.

Reid glanced up and caught his eye and as if as a punishment, he felt his thigh go into a spasm, and he grimaced as he tried to walk back to his desk. He hoped that this pain wasn't going to be permanent; it was too damned inconvenient.

Dave knocked on his door and he tried to walk back to his seat without limping.

'Come in.'

'I've got the rest of the paperwork, Aaron.......Is that leg still playing you up?'

Nothing got past Dave. Hotch was slightly irritated.

'It's fine.' he lied, reaching out for the files that Dave had brought in to him. Dave didn't say anything else. He just resolved to keep a close eye on his boss. Aaron could be stubborn sometimes, especially when it came to things that affected his fitness for work. There again, Dave knew he would never put his team mates in danger.

Hotch's phone rang, and Dave left.

'Hotchner.'

'Aaron, it's Sean. I need your help.'

-0-0-0-

Aaron put the phone down and called Dave, asking him to pop back to his office. When Dave arrived, Hotch told him about Sean.

'He's scared and needs help. I said I'd go up and face off these men, but I sure could do with your back up, Dave if you could come with me...........?'

'Are we driving?' Dave smiled. Hotch knew he could rely on Dave.

Hotch nodded. 'Would you drive, Dave? My leg is........'

Dave caught the keys out of the air and the two men went down into the bull pen to tell Morgan that they were off on a trip, and he was in charge. Morgan smiled happily.

Dave and Hotch took the elevator down to the car park, and they got in Hotch's own car, Dave in the driving seat. They had enough time to drive to Sean's Restaurant, or what was left of it. Hotch put a CD on and relaxed back to enjoy the ride.

-0-0-0-

Sean piled all the smashed furniture behind the bar, and what had escaped the fury of the visitors, he spread out in the space. He replaced the flowers and table cloths, but he decided not to open the doors tonight. He called his waitresses and put them off, and told the trainee chef not to come in.

Then he went upstairs to his little flat and ran a hot bath. As he sank into the steaming water, he thought about how good Aaron was, dropping everything and driving up to him. He really meant the apology he gave him after their argument at Quantico. He was a good older brother.

Sean hoped that the FBI badge would be enough to send the visitors away permanently.

He had a tiny spare room which he made up for himself, and got his own room ready for Aaron. Then he sat down stairs in the restaurant to wait for his brother. He was way too fired up to go to bed, and he wanted to be ready if anything else happened. They said that they were coming back for the money tomorrow just before opening. That gave Aaron about twenty hours to get there.

Sitting there in the darkness thinking of what he had got himself into scared him all over again. He realised that he had been relying on Aaron again, just as he had all the time they were growing up. If Sean was in trouble, Aaron sorted it out.

He remembered all the times he had been beaten by their Dad because he had taken the punishment for him. It felt as if it was happening all over again.

He went into the kitchen and looked around. At least they hadn't touched it. That was the heart of the restaurant. If they had trashed the kitchen, Sean thought that he would have given up.

He sat in the tiny office and watched some TV to pass the time, and imagined Aaron driving through the night to save his arse........ yet again.

-0-0-0-

'I know about Reid.'

Hotch looked at Dave in surprise. 'How do you know?'

'I'm a profiler, Aaron.'

'Is it that obvious?'

'Reid wears his heart on his sleeve, Aaron. It should be obvious to the whole team.'

Hotch went quiet, worrying about the young profiler.

'He'll be all right though, Aaron. You can stop worrying about him. He's stronger than he looks.'

Hotch smiled across at his friend. He was glad to have Dave with him.

They were just driving into the city. Hotch got out the Sat Nav and entered the zip code. As they drove into the part of the city where Sean lived, Hotch frowned.

'Dave this is awful. How could he have come to live here?'

'From what you've told me, he's very independent.'

'Yes, and that's what worries me. It must be bad for him to call me.'

'Here we are.' Dave said, pulling up into the four car car park along side the restaurant. 'Let's go and see what's happened.'

-0-0-0-

Sean froze when the door knocked. He thought it was probably Aaron, but he was nervous about opening the door.

'Who is it?' Sean called through the door.

'It's Aaron.' Hotch called back. 'Are you going to let us in?'

Sean opened the door and Aaron and Dave stepped into the little restaurant.

'Sean,' Aaron said, 'this is Dave. He's here to help.'

'Thank you for coming all this way, Aaron.' Sean gave his brother a tear filled smile. 'I really need your back up.'

'What time are they coming?' Dave asked.

'You have a few hours. How are you wanting to play this?'

Hotch was looking around. 'You let them in, we'll stay out of sight and we'll come out when needed. Don't let on we're here. We have the element of surprise.

Sean showed the two agents to the bedrooms. It was nice to have a few hours sleep before the confrontation. they needed to be fresh. Hotch and Dave both laid on the tops of the beds, fully dressed and armed, ready in case they turned up earlier, which was quite likely. Hotch massaged his leg to get the circulation going. It was stiff and painful after the long drive. But it wasn't long before both men were asleep.

-0-0-0-

'Aaron, wake up. There's a car just pulled up outside. I think it's them.'

Instantly alert, Hotch woke Dave and they went down stairs to where they had planned to wait. Out of sight but able to see everything that was going on. Sean looked back at them, and went to wait by the door.

Sean waited until they were hammering on the door, and then with shaking hands he unlocked the door. The door was forced open and Sean stepped back as they entered. There were four men, armed with baseball bats and clubs. Two of them grabbed Sean and another pressed his face close to his.

'Do you have the money?'

'Please, just give me more time.......please!'

'Ok, do him over.'

'Oh god, please don't hurt me!' Sean cowered in the grip of the two men holding him.

'I don't think so.' Hotch said, stepping out of his hiding place, his gun in one hand, his badge in the other. Dave followed him. They pointed the guns straight at the man who was about to smash Sean with the club he was carrying.

'Who the hell are you?'

'I am Special Agent Aaron Hotchner, and this is Special Agent David Rossi. I am Sean's brother, and I don't think you want to do him over really, do you?' Hotch said. 'Drop your weapons, and leave now.'

There was a clatter as they dropped the weapons they were carrying, and they backed out of the door.

'This isn't over!'

Sean closed and bolted the door the second they were outside.

Dave and Hotch lowered their glocks.

'You were wonderful!' Sean enthused. 'Although you did leave it until I thought they were going to kill me! Thank you, Bro, thank you David. I so appreciate that.'

'Don't get too excited, Sean. They said it wasn't over. they will be back, you can be sure of that. And now that have the element of surprise, as we have no idea when.'

'Let me get you a drink each.' he said, pouring scotch into three glasses. Dave, Sean and Aaron sat on the high bar stools and sipped their drinks. Sean was happy. Dave and Hotch were very worried.

This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.


	2. The Second Meeting

**Payment  
**Chapter 2  
The Second Meeting

"_**He ain't heavy; he's my brother." The Hollies**_

The three men went upstairs to the little flat, and sat and chatted for a while. Hotch tried to hide his disquiet. He was expecting them to be back at any moment, and was braced for action. He suspected Dave was also.

Sean was not nervous. He felt safe with his brother, like he always had done, even as a child, when Aaron stood up to the schoolyard bullies in his behalf, and frequently got a beating as a result. But never Sean. he was always safe.

He remembered the time when the bully had tried to take his dinner money. Aaron had ended up with a black eye and a broken arm. But they never tried to get his money again. And no one ever laid a finger on him.

Dave was watching his friend closely. He was concerned about his leg, and his ability to fight should it be necessary. He was glad Aaron had asked him to come along. Although hand to hand wasn't what he was best at, he was glad he had Aaron's back.

Sean went down to the kitchen to cook the three of them a special meal. He left Dave and Hotch upstairs on their own.

'There's going to be big trouble.' Dave said. 'What's the plan?'

'I have no idea, Dave. It depends on what they do. They know we are here. A lot depends on whether they have any respect for our badges. I have a feeling that they don't have any.'

'Agreed. But we can't just wait for them to come to us.'

'So what do you suggest? We can't go to them.'

'Those guys were just the debt collectors. This goes much higher. It wouldn't surprise me if there's drugs and prostitution involved. All we can do is sit and wait. It's so frustrating.'

Hotch sighed. They could smell the wonderful aroma of Sean's cooking, and it worried him that Sean was taking this so well. He hoped that Sean's confidence in him wasn't misplaced. This wasn't a school yard, and they were not childish bullies. This was the real thing. Lives could be lost.

Sean came upstairs with the food, and it smelled marvellous. Hotch and Dave realised that they hadn't eaten for ages, and the tension had made them particularly hungry. They ate the food gratefully, and complemented Sean on his ability.

'You were right, Sean, to take this career path.' Hotch said. 'That was amazing.'

Sean beamed. A complement like that from his brother meant so much to him. He cleared away the dishes and took them down stairs. Hotch and Dave were tired, and when Sean came back up, they said they wanted to rest so that they could be ready for the gang when they came back.

'Do you think they will come back them?' Sean said, for the first time it occurred to him that there was more to come.

'You can be sure of that Sean.' Dave said. 'And I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't tonight. They prefer to attack at night when people are not at their best.'

'We will sleep in shifts.' Aaron said. 'We will be ready for them.'

_I hope............._

-0-0-0-

Sean was sleeping in his own bed. Hotch and Dave were taking it in turns to sleep on the spare bed. Like before, they were fully dressed and armed, ready at a moment's notice. Hotch sat down stairs in the restaurant, his gun on his lap, ready for whatever might happen. There was no point in being concealed. The gang knew they were there. Best just to face them off, try to intimidate them.

There would be the two of them. Sean was to keep out of sight. They probably wouldn't even wake him, although he had asked if they would. If there was any gun fire, he would wake up anyway.

Hotch resisted the temptation to check yet again that his gun was fully loaded. He didn't want to use it. But it might become necessary.

His leg hurt like hell. He rubbed at it, and it didn't help. He stood up and walked around the room trying to loosen it up. He realised that this was a definite handicap, and he hoped that it wouldn't get in the way of him protecting his brother. He put his foot on a chair and massaged his leg hard, trying to get the blood flowing properly. It was especially painful, and he thought it was probably stress making it bad today. He limped around the room, wondering if it would be tonight. He wanted it to be. He was fired up and ready for them.

There were four last time. He guessed there would be more this time.

He heard a sound behind him, and he swung round. It was Dave.

'I can't sleep, Aaron. I thought I'd come and keep you company.'

'How long have you been there?' Hotch asked, slightly alarmed.

'Long enough to know that your leg is hurting you. Go and rest it, Aaron. I'll keep watch.'

'I can't possibly sleep.' Hotch said. 'We can wait together. And the leg is hurting. I think it was the long drive without moving it. It's loosened up now though.'

'Let me see.' Dave said, and Hotch sat back on the chair and rested his leg on the table. He let Dave massage his leg. It felt good, and the pain lessened. 'It's never as good doing it yourself.' Dave said, and Hotch had to agree. He closed his eyes and tried to relax. It was a lot easier to relax with the pain lessened.

They heard a door upstairs open, and Hotch put his leg down. Sean was awake and came down to join them.

'Oh hello David. I was going to keep Aaron company.'

'Can't you sleep either?' Dave said.

'No I'm too tensed up.'

'I'll be surprised if they don't come back tonight.' Hotch said. 'They will expect us to be off our guard.'

Sean pulled out a chair and sat on it, rocking back on the back legs, his feet on the table. 'Thank you for coming.' he said. 'I was really scared.'

_You still should be! We are!_

That was when they heard two cars pull up outside.

'This could be them. Go upstairs, Sean, and turn out the lights.'

Sean got up and did as he was asked. He realised that he was shaking. He didn't want to run off upstairs, but he was scared. He felt like a coward, locking himself in the bathroom, but he couldn't help himself.

'Nothing changes.' he muttered to himself miserably, as he heard the door being licked in downstairs. He crouched in the space between the wall and the tub, and wrapped his arms around his head like a frightened child.

Dave and Hotch stood at the back of the room with their guns drawn. The door was heavy and it took some kicking before it cracked down the edge of the hinge and the wood split. The door crashed inwards onto the floor. Dave and Hotch crouched in the darkness, watching the silhouettes of the men as they came in. Hotch counted eight, and his heart sank.

Suddenly the lights were switched on, and the room was bathed in a bright cheerful light. Dave and Hotch stood up and faced them. Hotch realised that his leg was stiffening up again as the adrenalin washed through his body. They didn't say a word, just stood there and faced them.

They were hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned. Hotch spoke first.

'Just turn around and leave. We are with the FBI. You don't want to mess with Feds. You might win this battle, but the war will be ours.' All the time, their guns didn't waver.

'We are only interested in this battle.' the man in front said. Hotch didn't recognise him, although one of the men beside him was one who had come earlier. 'Where's Hotchner.'

'He's not here.' Hotch said.

'Get upstairs and bring him down.'

Hotch levelled his gun at the spokesman. 'I said he's not here.'

'Put your gun down or we will kill you where you stand.' he said. Hotch knew they had no chance. Slowly he lowered his gun. Dave followed suit.

'I said put it down.'

Hotch dropped his gun and he heard a clatter behind him as Dave dropped his. One of the men went upstairs to find Sean. Hotch hoped that he was well hidden. He didn't want his brother to share what he knew was his fate. He trembled slightly as another wave of adrenalin passed through him. This wave was saying flight, not fight. But there was no where to flee to. They were going to have to fight.

They heard the sound of the bathroom door being kicked down, and a cry as Sean was dragged out of his hiding place. Hotch felt sick. This was going to be a blood bath, and there was nothing he could do to protect his little brother.

They were children again. It was after school and Aaron was facing a gang of kids. Sean had gone home earlier that day with a feigned headache. Aaron was surrounded by older boys. He remembered the first punch, and then he stood and took the beating. He remembered the kick in the face, and someone twisted his arm where it wasn't made to go. He fought bravely, but like today, he had no chance.

But Sean was safe. Today he wasn't.

Hotch stepped back as the seven remaining men formed a circle around the two agents. Hotch and Dave stood back to back, ready with their fists. Hotch looked across to where Sean was standing half way down the stairs with his arm twisted up his back. He looked distressed, but Hotch thought that was more likely to be about his own survival than anything to do with what was about to happen in front of him.

One of the gang stepped forwards and went to punch Dave in the face. Dave dodged the fist and grabbed hold of the man's wrist, pulling him in close, and forcing his arm up his back. The man yelped in response and Dave pushed him into one of the other antagonists. Then hell broke loose. The two agents went down under a hail of fists and kicks. Aaron stayed on his feet the longest, managing to get two of the foe on the ground before he succumbed to the beating. He saw Sean struggle against the man holding him, and he heard him calling his name, but he wasn't trained in combat like he and Dave were. But even with their training, Seven to two was too many, and they went down.

Dave was taking a hard beating, and Hotch was frightened for him. He was older than Hotch, and he didn't look as if he was even protecting himself. He tried to reach through to him, to help him, but one of the gang stood on his leg, and he screamed in pain. He curled forwards to try to protect his leg, but his weakness was noted, and that was where the kicks now were concentrated. He felt tears of pain spring to his eyes as they kicked and stood upon his leg. He writhed in pain, and tried fruitlessly to push them away.

He heard Sean shout out , and a yelp of pain as the man who was holding him hurt him. Hotch's heart went out to him. He knew that he wouldn't be able to take this and he prayed that they didn't plan to beat up Sean. Maybe they'd just leave him alone this time.

Hotch turned his head away from a kick, and it caught him on the temple. For a second the world went dark, then he saw Dave lying very still on the ground. There was no way that he could reach him. Hotch wrapped his arms around his head, and passed out.


	3. Uses

**Payment  
**Chapter 3  
Uses

"_**He who is brave, is free." Seneca**_

The room was dark when Sean woke up. It was a slow process, and the more awake he became, the more he wished he was asleep again. He opened his eyes slowly without moving his head. He was greeted with a view of his restaurant, or what was left of it. Everything was smashed, and this time there were no escapees. He rolled onto his front and saw that he had been bleeding into the floor from a head wound. He was at the bottom of the stairs where he had been thrown, and he tested his limbs for breakages. He seemed to be mostly intact, and he was surprised.

Then he remembered his brother.

'Aaron!' he shouted, climbing unsteadily to his feet. He looked around the wrecked room for his brother, but he wasn't there. He was not in the restaurant.

Then he saw something that made him feel unnerved. There was blood on the floor. Two patches of blood, where Aaron and David had been attacked, and bloody drag marks where the bodies had been dragged away, leading to the door.

Sean ran to the door and opened it. It was raining outside, but the blood smears were still visible where the two men had been loaded into a car.

Sean slammed the door and leaned against it. He felt sick with fear. If they had killede or kidnapped two FBI men what chance did he have?

And where were they now?

He had no idea what he was going to do. He walked carefully to the back of the room, and picked up what were once cell phones, now smashed. Aaron and David's he thought. He needed help more now. Not for himself, but for his brother and David. Calling Aaron had been his last resort but he didn't know who to call now.

He looked across his restaurant with tears in his eyes, trying to figure out what to do.

-0-0-0-

Dave woke up first. He was lying cramped in the boot of a car. Someone else was lying half on top of him, and he tried to feel who it was.

'Aaron, is that you?' he said softly. His mouth was cut and he could taste blood. He thought it possible that his arm was broken. It was agony to try to move it.

'Aaron..... ' he said again.

This time he was answered with a soft moan as Aaron woke up.

'Dave?'

'I'm here. We seem to be shut in the trunk of a car. Are you ok?'

Hotch took stock, and felt his forehead from where blood had run into his eyes. He wiped his eyes so that he could open them properly, but he was in such a position that he couldn't see Dave. There was a little light coming from the tail lights of the car but it was still dark in the trunk.

'I think I'm ok. My legs hurt, but I won't know how bad until I've been able to straighten them. You?'

'I'm ok.'

Aaron tried to turn over in the cramped space. He felt a wave of panic wash over him as he realised that essentially he couldn't move. He fought it down. He had to keep a cool head to get out of here. He wondered about Sean.

'Did you see what happened to my brother?' he said, trying to get his brain on something other that his own predicament.

'I didn't see.' Dave said.'

The two men went quiet as the car drove on. The air was fume filled, and both men felt light headed and sick. They needed to get out, and soon, before they suffocated.

After a few more minutes, while the two men lay together in silence, the car drove over some rough ground and came to a halt. They froze as they heard people getting out of the car and heard their footsteps coming closer. They could do nothing to prepare for what was about to happen.

The trunk lid opened slowly and the eight men stood with their guns ready. Two men stepped forwards and pulled Hotch out of the trunk, and stood him before them. As soon as they let go, he collapsed onto his hands and knees as blood circulated into his cramped limbs. Two of the men pulled him up, as another two pulled David out of the trunk. He too was weak and cramped and he fell back against the car.

'Are you......' he said to Aaron, but the words earned him a smack in the mouth. He touched his lips with the back of his hand and tasted blood again.

'No speaking until you are spoken to.' he was told.

Dave tried to straighten his right arm, but he was sure now that it was broken. He held it across his chest, and held it there with his other hand. He watched as Aaron tried to get up, but his legs wouldn't hold him.

'Get up now, or we'll shoot you where you lay.'

He struggled onto his feet and leaned against the car next to Dave. He looked at him and their eyes locked for a second, each trying to infuse the other with determination.

They were pulled away from the car and led towards a low concrete building. Aaron was being dragged. He thought his leg was broken or dislocated at the hip, and he couldn't put weight on it.

They were pulled through a metal door into what had once been a storage room. It was empty apart from some chairs and a table. There were pillars holding up the roof, and litter and dirt on the concrete floor.

They were each pushed into a chair and tied there, their wrists on the arms of the chairs and their ankles against the front legs. That was when they found Aaron's second gun. His heart sank as the gun was removed and the barrel held against the back of his hand. He turned away and bit down on his lip waiting for the shot. The man removed the gun, and Hotch turned back to him. That was when he shot Aaron's hand point blank. Aaron screamed and tried to pull his smashed hand away.

'Right before we go any further, are you carrying any other weapons. Because any we find we will use on you.'

Aaron couldn't speak. He was trying to catch his breath. Dave shook his head.

'No nothing else.' he said.

'Now,' he said, addressing Hotch. 'I want to know why you were interfering in our agreement we had with your brother.'

Aaron looked up at him, his face pale with shock.

'He's my brother and he asked for our help.' Aaron said, his voice shaking.

'But it was a friendly agreement, that Mr Hotchner was happy with.' he said.

Aaron didn't say anything. He thought he was going to vomit. His hand looked like it was a mess of bone and flesh, and he couldn't move his fingers. He glanced across at Dave.

'I convinced my friend to come along.' Aaron said softly. 'Please let him go. He's not involved in this.'

'You were told to only speak when you are spoken to.' one of the men said, and hit Aaron across the face. His ring caught on Aaron's cheek and opened it up. Blood ran down his face and neck. 'Of course he's involved. He's here.

Aaron turned his head and vomited onto the floor. He coughed and his eyes rolled in their sockets. He passed out, and as he slipped into unconsciousness, he heard Dave calling his name.

-0-0-0-

Sean swept all the debris into a pile in the corner, and went and sat on the floor by the telephone. The only thing he could think of doing was calling Aaron's friends at the FBI. He had to get help for his brother. He had never been in this position before. Now he had to take charge.

He picked up his cell phone and put it to his ear. It was still working, they hadn't destroyed that. He dialled Aaron's office number and hoped someone would answer it. It rang about ten times before it was picked up.

'Morgan.'

'I would like to speak to whoever is in charge of Hotchner's team please.'

'That's me at the moment. Agent Hotchner is out of the office for a few days.'

'I know he is. This is Sean Hotchner. He came to help me, and now he and David are in trouble. Can you help?'

Sean explained what had happened, how they had been hopelessly outnumbered on the second visit, and how he thought they had been abducted.

'Are the police involved?' Morgan asked.

'No. I didn't know what to do.'

'Call the cops and tell them what you have told me. Let them know you have told us, and that we are on our way.'

Morgan jotted down the address, and cut the connection. He called the rest of the team together in the conference room.

He told the others what had happened. Reid went pale. Why had he taken Rossi with him? why hadn't he told him where he was going? He felt his stomach twist agonisingly as he thought of the man he loved being in trouble, and not being able to help.

'When do we go?' he asked. 'We are going aren't we?'

'We're going.' Morgan said. 'Fifteen minutes, we can drive up. We can take turns behind the wheel – it's a long drive.'

-0-0-0-

Dave looked worriedly at Aaron. He was in shock, and needed help, but he couldn't give it. The gang were standing with their backs to the two agents, discussing something. Dave tried to inch his chair closer to Aaron, but he couldn't do it without making a noise. Then the men except two left them through the metal door that they had come in by.

The two men turned back to the agents. One of them went to Aaron and lifted his head by his hair.

'This one is unconscious.' he said.

'That's fine, we'll work on this one.'

Dave looked wide eyed at the two remaining men. One of them still had Aaron's ankle gun, and he held it pointing down into Dave's knee. He held his breath, waiting for what was going to come.

'Why did you get involved. It was none of your business.'

'My colleague asked me for my help. As a friend I had to give it.'

'You knew what the help was for?'

'Yes, scum like you terrorising his brother.'

The man who was the boss punched Dave in the side of the head and the chair he was tied to tipped sideways and Dave hit the hard floor with a crash. He gasped as the wind was knocked out of him. He tired to catch his breath as he was hauled upright again.

'We don't normally get involved with Feds, but we thought you could be useful. We have lots of outlets, and kidnapping is just one of them. We have to decide what to do with you now we have you. Possibly we will just kill you. But not before we have extracted information from you which will be useful to us. We will begin tomorrow, so enjoy your last night of freedom.'

The two men left Dave and Aaron and followed the other members of the gang outside. Dave tried again to move his chair closer to Aaron. This time he did it. He manoeuvred his chair so that he could reach the knots in the rope holding Aaron's hand.

'Aaron, it's Dave. Wake up. I need you,'

Aaron raised his head but he didn't open his eyes.

'Dave..... ' he whispered.

'It's ok, Aaron. They've gone.'

'Dave, I....'

'Don't try to talk, I'm going to see if I can undo your restraints.'

Aaron opened his eyes. Dave started on the ropes. It took a long time, just using one hand, but he was eventually able to pull the rope loose around his left wrist. Aaron reached across and undid the other, holding his shot hand, then he leaned down and released his legs.

'Now let me free you.' he said. He didn't stand up, but reached across with his good hand and released Dave's wrists. He too leaned down to his feet and released them. He ran to the door, and tried it, but of course it was locked.

'At least we can be ready for them when they come back.' Dave said.

'If they come back.' Aaron said.


	4. The Team

**Payment  
**Chapter 4  
The Team

"_**Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean." -**____**Ryunosuke Satoro **_

Sean sat on the floor and waited for the FBI to arrive. He was shaking with fear for his brother and David. And for himself. He couldn't understand why he had been left behind when they took Aaron and David. He hoped that Aaron's team would be able to help him.

When there was a knock on the door, he jumped. He hadn't realised it, but he had fallen asleep through sheer exhaustion. Cautiously he approached the door.

'Who is it?' he asked, making no attempt to still the wavering of his voice.

'Special Agent Derek Morgan, FBI.'

Sean unbolted the door, and welcomed the four agents into his wrecked restaurant.

'Please come in, I am so glad you are here

-0-0-0-

Aaron was also sitting on the floor, but he wasn't sleeping. His leg wasn't broken, but dislocated at the hip. It was the leg that had been shot, and the pain hit him in waves. He nursed his hand against his chest, and watched Dave as he tried to find a way out.

There were some small windows along the top of the building but they were too high to reach even standing on a chair, and they were barred anyway. He found another door in the opposite wall, but it was locked also. He thought about what Aaron had said,

"_If they come back....."_

and he realised that they wouldn't last long if they were left to die in this prison hole.

'We are just going to have to wait this out.' he said to Aaron.

Aaron looked up at him and nodded slowly. He was still in shock, and Dave was worried about him. His hand was a mess, and his skin was white. He had beads of sweat on his forehead, and looked really sick. Dave had to get them out of there.

He looked around for a weapon. The only things in the room were the table and chairs. He turned the table upside down and wrenched off the leg. He tried holding it as a club, but it was too thick, his hand didn't grip it properly. He wrenched a leg from a chair and tried it for size. It was better. He went to Aaron.

'I am going to try to get us out of here.' he said.

Aaron's eyes fluttered open. 'Dave?' he said. 'How?' He struggled to get to his feet. 'Let me help you.'

'No, Aaron. You stay here.' Dave said, gently holding him down.

He needed to protect his colleague. He wasn't in a fit state to fight, it was up to him, Dave, to get them out. He crossed the room to the metal door and stood by it. He had no idea how long it would be before the gang returned, or even if they would return. But he would stand and wait, and hope it wasn't too long.

-0-0-0-

'Did you call the cops?' Morgan asked Sean.

'No I thought I'd wait until you got here.'

'Tell us what happened.'

'The first time they came it was easy. Aaron and David took them by surprise, and they went away. But when they came back there were more of them, and .......' Sean's voice began to break as he recalled the courage of his brother and David against all odds, but fighting to the last.

'And what?' Reid asked, feeling anxious. He didn't want to hear what had happened to Hotch, but he needed to.

'They surrounded them and beat then up. One was holding me and I couldn't help them.' Tears were running down Sean's face as he related what happened next. 'They went down. There was nothing I could do. Then I was shoved down the stairs. When I came to, they were gone. There was just the blood.'

'Blood?' Emily repeated.

'Yes. Here.' Sean showed the agents where the bloody drag marks were.

'They were dragged outside and put in a car. The blood on the pavement has washed away in the rain now, but I saw it.'

'Do you have security cameras?' JJ asked.

'Inside, yes, but not outside. There's no chance of getting the car on camera'

'Let us see the internal security footage then.' Morgan said. Sean went to get the tape, and he showed the agents to the back office where he could play the tape.

It was horrific watching Hotch and Dave getting beaten. Reid bit his knuckles as Aaron went down under the battering. They saw Sean get pushed down the stairs. They watched as the rest of the restaurant was trashed, and the two bodies dragged out of the room. They were inert, and Morgan prayed that they weren't dead. But if they had been, there would have been no point in taking their bodies away. He was sure that if the gang meant to kill them, they would have done so, and their bodies would still be here. He hoped that his logic was sound.

Morgan came to a decision.

'JJ, stay here, and get this footage to Garcia, see if she can get anything from it. The three of us will go to the neighbouring businesses and see who else is being 'protected' in this way. We might just get a break.'

JJ was on it immediately. She too had been sickened by what she saw, and was eager to get things moving. The other three left the restaurant and headed for the closest business, the snooker hall over the road.

-0-0-0-

Dave heard a car pull up. He felt as if he had been standing there by the door for hours. He glanced across at Aaron, who had slumped sideways and had his eyes closed. He hoped that it wasn't the whole gang this time. He might get the better of two, or maybe three if he was fast, but more than that he didn't think he could overcome.

He froze, ready to attack as soon as the door opened.

The door opened into the room and Dave was behind it. As the first man entered, Dave swung the chair leg and caught him on the back of the head. He went down without a sound. The second man got the chair leg across his face, and Dave heard teeth crack as he too went down.

The third man was carrying a gun. He heard the bullet hit the chamber and he realised that the game was up. He dropped the bloodied weapon and raised his hand. The broken arm hung by his side.

Aaron looked up as he heard the chair leg clatter to the floor. Dave was hit in the temple with the gun butt and he fell sideways. He made a valiant effort to dodge the kicks that followed, but he soon wasn't able to move.

The two gang members stepped over the unconscious bodies of their comrades, and unlocked the other door. The room on the other side was pitch dark, there being no windows, and as most of it was underground, rather like a cellar, it was damp and cold. They dragged Dave across the floor and rolled him through the door where he fell the ten feet or so onto the cellar floor. Aaron was pulled to his feet and marched painfully across the room, and he too was shoved through the door. He landed next to his friend, and the door was closed and locked.

-0-0-0-

'Aaron.... ' Dave called to his friend, and felt around him in the darkness.

'I'm here.' Aaron answered softly, unable to move, he waited until Dave had found him. He gripped his hand. 'Have they hurt you any more?' he asked.

Dave gripped back. 'I'm ok. I got two of them.' Aaron smiled in the darkness. They had little enough opportunity to look on the bright side, but when it was possible, Dave managed to.

Dave rubbed at his face. His mouth was bleeding again, and his arm hurt like hell, but he wasn't going to mention them. He was more concerned for Aaron. He felt clammy under his hand, and he was worried about his hand and leg. Aaron didn't mention them. dave moved so that he could hold Aaron against him. He had feelings in his heart that he longed to share with him, but would there ever be a right time?

_Aaron...... I love you......_

The time would never be right, but if he left it, and Aaron died.........

Instead, he just held him close and wondered what the hell they were going to do.

-0-0-0-

Several of the neighbours were being 'protected'. A rough snooker club along the street welcomed the newcomers, until they realised who they were.

'Please leave, we don't want the FBI here. What do you think they'll do to us if they find out we've been talking to you?'

'We would like a game of snooker and a chat.' Morgan said.

'We don't want you here. Please leave.' the proprietor said, panic in his voice.

Morgan slid some money across the bar. 'Names.' was all he said.

'I don't know names.' he said, scooping up the money. 'But I can give you the licence plate of the car they use.'

Morgan took the piece of paper from the man and they left the snooker hall.

As soon as they were on the street, Morgan opened his phone and called Garcia.'

'Hey Doll face, I have a licence plate for you to run.'

He gave her the plate and asked if she was having any joy with the facial recognition software on the security tape.

'Since you asked so nicely, I have to say yes, I have identified one of the assailants. What of hotch and Rossi? Have you got them yet?'

'Not yet, but your information should help us to find them. Send me everything you have on the face.'

'Done.'

Morgan's phone buzzed as the information came through. He turned to the others.

'We have a name.'

-0-0-0-

As soon as the three agents were out of the snooker hall, Bill the proprietor picked up the phone.

'It's Snooker Bill here.' he said into the phone. 'I've just had the FBI in here asking questions ...... No of course I didn't tell them anything. I don't know anything ....... No there's no need to send anyone round. I will keep my eyes on them and let you know ...... Sean Hotchner's place I think. That's where they went after leaving here ...... Sure I'll do that. You can always trust me ........ Yes of course. Your money will be here when you come for it. Isn't it always ...... Thank you.

Bill put the phone down. He hated to betray the Feds. But he had his own life to keep. Never mind Hotchner's.

-0-0-0-

Dave clung onto Aaron in the darkness. Aaron was quiet and wasn't responding to him any more. Dave thought that he had fainted with the pain he was in with his leg. His chest was gently rising and falling with each breath, and his hand hadn't loosened its grip on his.

He was getting thirsty. There was enough water running down the walls for him to quench his thirst, but he didn't know how he was going to help Aaron to drink. He hoped that their tormentors would bring them some clean water, but he doubted that. Whatever they were being kept here for, they had not started in earnest yet.

What could they want? Passcodes for the FBI databases? Entry codes? there was no end to the information that they had which the gang might find useful. But they wouldn't get the information from them. They were highly trained. They would give nothing away.

He wrapped his arms tighter around Aaron as if to hang on to any information. When they came back, maybe they would find out.

-0-0-0-


	5. Pass Codes

**Payment  
**Chapter 5  
Pass Codes

"_**I assess the power of a will by how much resistance, pain, **__**torture**__** it endures and knows how to turn to its advantage.**__**" – Friedrich Neitzsche**_

They pulled Aaron from Dave's arm. Dave let them take him without a fight. They dumped Aaron into the remaining chair and bound his arms to the chair with cable ties. Then they turned to Dave. He was hauled to his feet by two men.

'Which of you two is the ranking agent?'

'I am.' Dave said. 'I am Unit Chief SSA David Rossi. And you will get nothing out of me.'

'So we get the information out of this one.'

'He knows nothing. He's been reduced to level two security. You'll get nothing out of him.' Dave said smugly.

'Then you will tell us what we need to know.'

The broken table was leaned against the wall, and a lap top computer opened and placed on it. One of the men stood in front of it.

'What are the pass codes?'

'Go to hell.'

One of the men reached over and got hold of Aaron's little finger. The snapping sound it made as it broke seemed to cut through the air. Dave made an effort not to react. Aaron moaned with pain.

'Do what you like to him. He's nothing.' Dave said. 'Insubordinate loose cannon. Someone needs to teach him a lesson.'

'Then we start on you if you prefer. What are the pass codes?'

'Go to hell.'

The punch hit Dave full in the face. He felt his nose crack, and his head rocked back hitting the wall. For a second everything was dark, and then a back hander woke him again.'

'You will tell us, Unit Chief SSA David Rossi. We are good at this. You won't die, but you will wish you could. Now let us start again. What are the pass codes?'

Dave spat clotted blood out of his mouth. 'We are good at this too. Now go to hell.'

'Hold him down.'

The two men holding Dave pushed him back against the wall. The man asking the questions took a device out of his pocket. He forced Dave's mouth open and pushed the device into his mouth. Dave struggled against them but he had no chance. He looked across at Aaron. His head was down and he was dripping blood onto the floor. The questions man had in his hand a pair of pliers. Dave realised too late what he was going to do. He shook his head to stop the thing from happening, and one of the men holding him caught hold of his hair.

The pliers were pushed into his mouth and clasped around a back tooth. The man wrenched at the tooth and it smashed in the pliers. Dave screamed as his mouth filled with blood. The pliers gripped a piece of the tooth and pulled. It made a horrible sucking sound as it pulled out of his jaw. Dave fainted and slumped in their arms.

'Wake him up.'

The device was removed from his mouth, and he was shaken awake. Dave had blood running from his mouth into his beard, and the agony was unbelievable.

'I am so sorry that we had to do that, Unit Chief David Rossi. I hate hurting folk.' the question man said. 'Do you know I will probably have night mares about it tonight?' He gently lifted Dave's head and looked into his eyes. 'Now about those pass codes. Please tell me. I'd hate to hurt you again.'

'Go ..... to ...... hell.' Dave said with difficulty and passed out again.

The question man got hold of Dave's hair and wrenched his head back. His eyes opened and they locked stares.

'Because I like you, and I don't want to hurt you, I am going to give you another chance. You see, David, we want the pass codes. It's only a little thing. Just tell me – whisper them to me if you like and I will let you go.'

He put his ear close to Dave's mouth. Dave leaned forward as if to tell him, and he bit down hard on the man's ear. Dave tasted the man's blood in his mouth as part of the ear came away. Dave spat it onto the floor.

The man yowled and jumped back from Dave. He punched Dave as hard as he could in the face, and a scarlet arc of blood spattered across his shirt.

'That's me through being nice!' he shouted, his hand on his bleeding ear. 'Pass codes. Now!'

'Go to hell!' Dave held his head up. 'I can take anything you throw at me. I will not betray my country.'

The punch in the stomach made him double up. He vomited blood on the floor in front of him. He coughed and gagged as his stomach emptied, and then more as he heaved nothing. His stomach twisted and cramped. As he lifted his head, he saw Aaron, unconscious in the chair, and it strengthened his resolve.

He found the strength from somewhere to hold his head high. He spat blood from his mouth and smiled at the question man.

'I will never tell you. You must know that by now.'

The question man kicked him in the groin, and Dave fainted.

-0-0-0-

'Tell me that you have something, Baby Girl.' Morgan said.

'The licence plate doesn't exist.' Penelope said, 'But I have a name for one of the faces on the tape. Dom Hansel. He's known to be into drugs and prostitution in the city. I have no address for him, but I have a list of known associates, and they run a boxing gym as a front for the racket. Nothing's been proven, so be careful, Derek.'

'Baby, you're a star. Do we have a location for the gym? I might just join.'

'Sending you the address and names now. Please be careful, Sweet Prince.'

Morgan cut the connection. 'I'm going to join a gym.' he announced to the others.

'What about the licence plate?' Reid asked.

'It was either a false plate, or we have been lied to. I will visit the gym and see what I can find out.'

-0-0-0-

Seedy was too classy a word for the frontage of the gym. Morgan pushed open the door and walked in, trying to look intimidated.

'Um excuse me.' he said to one beefy looking black man whom he would not like to take on in the ring, despite his training. 'Please could you tell me who's in charge?'

'Who wants to know?'

'I am Morgan. Derek Morgan. I want to train.'

'The boss ain't here. I'm Hansel. Why here?'

'I've heard that you can help brothers feel safe on the streets. There's nothing else for me. If I can make a name boxing, it's my ticket out of the slums.'

'Ok let's try you out.' he said, and turned to the two who were sparring in the ring. 'Hey you, get Dek here a helmet and shield. Come with me, Bro, and let's see what you can do.'

-0-0-0-

Dave felt wave after wave of blackness wash over him as he tried to wake up. His mouth hurt and his stomach hurt, but the pains from his groin was like a knife cutting him in half. He realised he was lying on his side on the wet floor of the cellar. He had to find Aaron now, and make sure they hadn't touched him.

'Aaron....' he coughed and the name was lost. He tried again. 'Aaron, are you here?'

He heard a soft moan in reply, and he crawled towards the sound. He found the chair to which Aaron was tied, and he knelt so that his face was level with Aaron's.

'Did they hurt you?' he asked.

'No. You? Are you hurt?' Hotch whispered

'I'm fine.' Dave said, trying not to cough. He couldn't help a groan of pain as he moved his legs. Aaron heard it.

'What did they do?'

'I'm ok, Aaron.' He gently lifted Aaron's head and rested it on his shoulder. And he put his arm across his back, and held him. He knew that they would be back soon, and he needed to protect Aaron. He couldn't let them see him holding him, so he moved away, and turned from him. It hurt to do it, but he needed to keep a cool head if they were to get out of here alive. He thought Aaron had fainted. He could never know what was happening.

He heard the door opening, and the lights come on. Dave looked up at them.

'We have decided to try again. You obviously don't know what is at stake here.' question man said. The other two with him lifted Dave to his feet and held him upright again. 'We have given you a little time to recover. You see, we are thinking of you, Unit chief David Rossi.'

The man walked past Aaron and went straight to Dave, taking his hand in his as if he was about to kiss it. Dave noticed with a certain amount of satisfaction that the man had a pad taped to his ear. He wouldn't be trying that one again.

He had a cigar cutter in his other hand this time. Dave instinctively made a fist as tightly as he could. Question man forced his fingers out and placed the cigar cutter over his little finger and pressed it so that the blade was just cutting into Dave's skin.

'Pass codes.' was all he said.

'Go to hell.' was the inevitable reply. Dave couldn't hold back the scream as the tip of his finger was scrunched off his hand.

'Now, pass codes.' question man said again.

Dave's eyes were watering and he wondered what was coming next. He lifted his head and looked straight into the eyes of his torturer.

'I will never tell you. I will die first.'

'But you have missed the point. I will not kill you, although you might cry out for death. You see, I am skilled in this work.'

'As I am in mine.' Dave said. He looked past the man to Aaron, un conscious in the chair. He would die protecting his boss. Nothing would break him. Seeing Aaron strengthened him. He felt the man take his hand again. Again he made a fist, but it was inevitable that the man was going to cut him again. He felt the cold metal on his third finger.

'Dear Unit Chief. Don't let this go on. Just tell us, and you can go home. Think about your warm comfortable bed. A nice glass of scotch, warming you. Your woman to take care of you. I'll even pay for the woman!' the man laughed. 'End this now, please. What are the pass codes?'

'Go. To. Hell.' Dave said slowly and deliberately. The blade cut through his finger, scrunched through the bone. Dave screamed involuntarily. He dreaded waking Aaron. They could never know what was happening. The device was removed and Dave snatched back what was left of his hand. Three wedding bands had been on that finger. There would never be a fourth.

'You are asking me to betray my friends, my colleagues, and my country. I have eight fingers left. Take them all, but I will not break.'

The question man lost his temper, and struck Dave on the face again. Blood stained his beard and dripped from his chin. Then he hit him again and again. The two men holding him up let go and he dropped to the floor.

Dave suddenly realised that the beating had stopped. He opened his swollen blackened eyes to see what was happening. The man was crossing the floor towards Aaron. Dave couldn't stop him.

'He doesn't know anything!' Dave gasped. 'He's nothing!'

The man ignored him and spoke to Aaron.

'Name and rank.'

'NO!' Dave shouted. But it was too late.

'Special Agent In Charge Aaron Hotchner.' he said quietly. The man smiled down at Dave.

'So you have been holding out on us have you?' he grinned. He kicked Dave in the temple and his head jerked to the side. Dave fell into unconsciousness, and the men advanced on Aaron


	6. Winners and Losers

**Payment  
**Chapter 6  
**Winners and Losers**

"_**The **__**winner**__** is the one who refuses to lose**__**" – Dale Earnhardt**_

One of the men lifted Aaron's head and looked at him. His eyes were closed and he looked to be unconscious. He was sitting awkwardly on the chair, favouring one leg.

He opened his eyes as the pain from his leg sent waves through his body.

'So you are the boss, eh?' the question man said, with a grin. 'Your friend over there almost got himself killed pretending that he was.'

Aaron looked over to where Dave was lying inert on the cold floor.

'Dave!' Aaron pulled against the ties holding him.

'Are you two lovers?' It suddenly occurred to the question man what he had here. If he could use these lovers against each other, he might get somewhere.

Aaron looked away from Dave into the eyes of the man leaning over him.

'We are not lovers.' he said softly.

'Wake this one up.' The question man nudged Dave with his toe. The other two lifted the unconscious man off the floor and held him upright. One of them pulled his head up by his hair.

'Wake up, sunshine.' he grinned. Dave slowly opened his eyes and looked ahead. They weren't touching Aaron. Didn't they believe him?

'Are you lovers?'

'No.' Dave said. 'We are not.'

'We are going to test this hypothesis. Now we are going to start again. Only this time we are going to punish Hotchner every time you refuse to help us.'

Dave's heart twisted in his chest. He leaned forwards and his head fell forward. Hr was exhausted and in pain, and now they were going to hurt Aaron, and he couldn't stop it.

'I will never tell you.' Dave gasped.

-0-0-0-

Morgan stayed a good few hours at the gym, when a man came up to him.

'The boss will see you now.'

Derek followed the man through a door in the back into a corridor which led to an office. It had the air of richness about it, unlike the gym itself. Behind the desk which was inlaid with leather, sat a man that Derek would never have noticed on the streets. Average was the only way to describe him. In fact, he had rarely seen a man more average than he.

'So you're interested in becoming a boxer with our gym?' he smiled a gold toothed smile. Not so average after all.

'Actually,' Morgan said, 'I am more interested in one of your other side lines.'

Mr Average leaned forward on his upholstered captains chair. 'And what side lines do you have in mind, Dek?'

'Collecting.'

'You want to be one of my runners Dek? Well that's a turn up.'

'I have seen some of your work and I want in.' Morgan said.

'Let's get acquainted shall we?' He stood up and reached out as if to shake Morgan's hand. Morgan took it. 'I am the Boss. That's my name and that's what I do. If you work for me, You have to do as I tell you. Understand?'

Morgan nodded, hoping he wasn't getting deeper than he realised.

-0-0-0-

The question man was explaining things to Aaron. Whether he understood or not wasn't really an issue. He was only doing it to test Dave's reaction. Then he went to Dave again.

'So, David, tell us the pass codes, and we can all go home. And remember, I meant it about the woman. Hell, I can afford it.'

Dave looked at Aaron.

_I am so sorry, Aaron. Forgive me....._

Dave said nothing. His mouth hurt too much to speak. His mangled hand was throbbing intolerably. He closed his eyes and turned away from the question man. He heard Aaron scream, but he didn't look to see. He couldn't bear it. Damn the pass codes. He wished he didn't know them.

'What are the pass codes?'

To show that he meant business, he pulled Aaron up off the chair and slapped him

'Go to hell.' Dave said under his breath.

The question man punched Aaron in the groin. The Agent cried out in his pain, and Dave echoed his cry.

'Please tell us. I am getting tired.'

'I cannot tell you them. Aaron understands.' he whispered. He saw that the man had the device in his hands for holding open Aaron's mouth. He saw Aaron had fresh blood on his chin, and there was blood on the floor. He forced Aaron's mouth open and inserted the device. He gripped a back tooth with the pliers and pulled the tooth from his jaw. Blood flowed into Aaron's mouth and he choked on the thick blood as he took a breath to scream. He choked and gagged as he tried to catch his breath.

The man left the device in place. Dave could see that Aaron's eyes were watering. Dave bit his lip in distress.

'Pass codes please.'

'What day is it?' Dave slurred.

'Sunday' Why?'

'I lost track. How long have we been here?

'It doesn't matter. No one is coming for you. Now let us start again. Pass codes please.'

The man picked up the table leg from the floor and hit Aaron's hip. He screamed again as pain shot through him. His eyes were closed, and he was barely moving. Dave wanted to explain to Aaron why this was happening. The man hit Aaron around the back of his head. His head jerked forwards and blood and gore shot from his open mouth.

'Please don't hurt him.'

'Pass codes.'

'Please.....'

The man hit Aaron again. Then he deftly used the pliers on Aaron's next tooth. This one was harder, and crushed between the pliers' jaws. Aaron Moaned softly. The hair on Dave's neck stood on end as he endured Aaron's pain.

'Stop! For god's sake, leave him alone.'

He hit him again. He was enjoying it. Dave closed his eyes and tried not to see what was happening.

'Five.'

'What was that?'

'Seven A GF/nine.' Dave had tears falling from his eyes. 'XC-four zero six.'

The man dropped the table leg onto the floor. The lap top operator was busy inputting the code.

Access Denied

He grabbed hold of Dave's hair and pulled his face close.

'You are lying. What was the point in that?'

He turned on Aaron and hit him with such a force that the chair he was tied too fell side ways. He lost consciousness as the man stamped on his leg. He had lost his temper and Dave thought he was going to kill him. He kicked at his shot hand. Then he turned on Dave again, striking him with the table leg full in the face.

'Last week's code.' he smiled through broken teeth. 'Codes changed Saturday six pm. Don't know new code. Nor does Hotchner.' He coughed and spat broken teeth onto the floor in front of him, and smiled triumphantly. He had won.

-0-0-0-

'Do you ever have to rough them up?' Morgan asked.

He was collecting, and chatting with the other men he had been sent out with. He sat in the back of the car in between two men – Sleaze and Crocker they introduced themselves as. He turned to Crocker.

'You fancy a fight then?'

'Always.' Morgan leered. 'I love practicing my art.'

'Art! Ha ha ha! He calls it "art"!'

'Heh you should have been with us last week.' Sleaze said with a grin, 'Picked up a couple of Feds at Hotchner's. It was wonderful. The little creep has a cousin or something in the FBI and he called him to help. We took them out!'

'You killed Feds? That's something!' Morgan said, sickened.

'Naaa. They're not dead. At least we didn't kill them.' Crocker said.

'So where are they?' Morgan asked.

'Hey you in the back there. Shut the hell up. You know how the Boss feels about gossip. That goies for you too, Dek.'

Morgan felt utterly hopeless, but tried not to show it. The car pulled up outside a strip joint.

'First collection of the night. This is an easy one. Always got the money ready.'

-0-0-0-

They didn't know what to do with their Fed captives now. They thought most likely kill them, but they had to check out with the Boss first. So they locked them in the cellar and drove away. Dave was lying where they dropped him. He was drifting in and out of consciousness, and he tried to wake up. Aaron would be needing him, and he couldn't abandon him now when they needed each other so much. He forced his eyes open. Even in the darkness, moonlight filtered through the dirty windows, and Dave could see a darker shape in the blackness where Aaron was lying. He crawled towards him.

'Aaron, we have to get out of here now.' he said but there was no answer from the unconscious man. He shook him gently, but he didn't move. He felt for the ties that were holding him in the seat. They had learned and had used cable ties and not ropes. He picked up the table leg with his good hand, and wedged it between the chair arm. With all his remaining strength he leaned down on the lever, and heard a satisfying crack as the chair broke away. He pulled the broken chair arm through the cable tie and released Aaron's arm. He then repeated it with the other side.

When he was free, he fell to the side onto the floor. Dave pulled him gently away from the chair and laid him out on the floor. There was no where else to lay him down. He brushed back his hair and tried to see if he was breathing.

He didn't seem to be. Frantically Dave pulled open his shirt and felt for a heart beat.

He rested his broken arm across Aaron's chest, his elbow over his heart, then he began CPR on his friend. He dripped tears and blood onto his chest as he desperately fought for his life. It seemed to go on forever. Dave was gradually succumbing to exhaustion and pain, but he wasn't going to give up. When he heard Aaron cough, he turned Aaron's head to the side and he coughed blood onto the floor.

Dave knelt back on hid heels. Aaron was alive. Now they had to get out.

'Aaron ..... can you hear me, Aaron?'

Hotch groaned softly and reached for Dave's hand. His broken finger was twisted at an angle to his palm, but he gripped Dave's hand with a gratifying strength.

'Aaron, we have to leave. Now.'

'You go. Get help.' Aaron whispered. 'I wait for you ....'

'You have to come. They are going to kill us when they get back. We need to go now.'

'Can't walk.'

'I can help you, Aaron now get up!'

Dave helped Aaron roll onto his front from where he tried to get onto his hands and knees. he couldn't bend his hip, so Dave helped him onto his knees, and then pulled him upright, with his arm around him.

_I love you, Aaron Hotchner......._

'We must get out now.' He so wanted to tell him, but it could compromise their friendship, and he knew that Aaron had already rejected Reid. What chance did he have?

The two men leaned on each other, courageously infusing each other with strength. Aaron dragged his leg as they slowly made it to the foot of the concrete steps which led to the door above.

Dave rested Hotch on the floor, leaning against the steps, and he crawled to the top of the flight. The door was locked, but it was only a wooden door, not a metal one like the outside door was. He leaned against it and pushed with all his strength, wishing he had Morgan's physical power. He forced his shoulder to the door and pushed again. He heard the door crack and the door moved. Once more, and the door was open.

he crawled back down the steps to Aaron, who had was defying everything and keeping awake. Dave held him with his arm around his back, and lifted him. He pushed Aaron gently in front of him, and together they crawled up the stairs to the open door.

'Almost there, my friend.' he said to Aaron as they fell together through the door into the upper room.

Dave pulled him to his feet again, and they slowly crossed the floor to the metal door that stood between the agents and the freedom beyond.


	7. The Special Job

**Payment  
**Chapter 7  
The Special Job

"_**The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one." – Oscar Wilde**_

Sean was pacing his little living room above the restaurant. He watched Reid and Prentiss calmly sitting at the table talking about something that he couldn't hear and he was getting more and more frustrated with them. Why were they not out looking for Aaron? His brother was in terrible danger, and they were just sitting there!

'Why are you still here?' he rounded on them suddenly. 'Why aren't you out there looking for Aaron? I thought you'd help us, and you've done nothing!'

Emily got up and took Sean by the shoulders, trying to calm him.

'We have a plan that has been put into operation.' she said. It may look as if we are doing nothing, but often the waiting is the worst part. Believe me when I say we want our agents back as much as you do.'

Sean sat down, deflated.

'Sorry.' he whispered.

'I know.' said Emily.

-0-0-0-

There was no way out of the room, and no where to hide. Dave had pushed on the door as hard as his dwindling strength would allow, but it wouldn't move. He thought he was going to cry with frustration. He limped back to where he had left Aaron.

'Can't open it.'

Aaron looked into his eyes. He knew what that meant; it meant they would be killed when the gang members came back.

They huddled together, and Aaron rested his head leaning on Dave's shoulder. Dave drew him close.

'I love you......' he whispered, but Aaron had fainted.

-0-0-0-

The strip joint collection was easy. To break him in, Morgan was given the job look out while Sleaze and Crocker got the money. It sickened Morgan how these people just handed their hard earned cash to them. Morgan was glad when the evening's work had come to an end.

Sleaze put his arm across Morgan's shoulder.

'You did good tonight. We will celebrate with a drink, and then I'll take you to see what happens to Feds who step out of line.'

'Great!' Morgan said. Now he had to get a message to the team. He had his cell phone in his pocket, he just needed the opportunity to use it.

But when they pulled up outside the snooker hall opposite Sean's he thought he was going to throw up.

'Bill's on our side in all this. He gets a reduced rate, and we drink on the house.' Crocker said.

Morgan's brain was in overdrive. How was he going to avoid going in there? He tried to remember where the men's room was. If he could get to the men's room, he could call Reid, and avoid Bill at the same time.

'First stop for me is the men's room!' Morgan said heartily, although he was shaking inside.

Morgan walked with them up the stairs into the main hall. Bill was polishing glasses behind the bar. Morgan stood behind the others, trying to keep out of the way. He noticed the sign for the men's room and tried to creep off alone, but Crocker saw and followed him.

'Wait up, Dek. I'm with you!' he said. Morgan reluctantly waited.

Now he couldn't call Reid.

Crocker walked with him into the men's room. It was filthy and stank of urine. There were vomit stains on the floor, and dirt was crusted everywhere. The last place Morgan wanted to be was locked in a stall, but he had no choice.

'It's been a long day!' he breezed, and locked the door behind him.

He didn't trust Crocker, and he had to make this as real as he could. he dropped his pants and sat on the toilet, hoping he wouldn't catch anything. He got his phone out, and started to text Reid.

_at snooker hall opposite. going to hotch and rossi. follow. _

'Hey what are you doing in there!' Crocker yelled.

'What do you think I'm doing?' Morgan yelled back. He pressed 'send' and hoped that the message would get through. The phone seemed to take forever to send the message. Crocker banged on the door.

'Almost done!' called Morgan, and he opened the cistern and dropped his phone into the water. He couldn't let them suspect anything.

At least there was water. He pulled his pants up and flushed the toilet, and opened the door as he fastened his trousers. He went to the basin to wash his hands. Crocker watched him suspiciously.

Morgan prayed that Reid got the text. It wasn't ideal, but under the circumstances, there was no other way to get the message through. He would much rather have called him, and been certain.

They went back into the hall. Bill was no longer behind the bar, and Morgan relaxed slightly. Sleaze beckoned Crocker across to him and they spoke together in low tones. Sleaze crossed back to Morgan and put his arm around Morgan's shoulders.

'You have a special job to do tonight, Dek.'

Morgan was led out of the hall between Crocker and Sleaze. The other two men whose names Morgan didn't know were left behind drinking.

They went down the dingy stairwell and out to the car. Morgan glanced around to see if there was any movement from across the street, but it all seemed too quiet.

He got into the back of the car and Sleaze slid in next to him. Crocker opened the driver's door and got in. Morgan said a silent prayer that Reid was watching from their car, but he couldn't see any movement. Maybe the message didn't get straight through. He thought he was going to be sick.

Crocker fired the engine, and the car pulled away from the front of the snooker hall. Morgan looked straight ahead. What was the special job? He had an awful gut feeling about it.

-0-0-0-

The dampness was eating into Dave's limbs, and he thought he wouldn't be able to stand up again. Aaron was heavy against him, and he held him tightly. He looked at what was left of his hand. The remaining fingers were swollen and red, and his whole arm was agony. His mouth hurt from the constant beating, and his groin sent daggers of pain into his abdomen. Aaron wasn't moving except for the erratic rise and fall of his chest. He hadn't regained consciousness since they sat down together on the floor awaiting their fate, and Dave was worried about him. His hip felt hot through his clothes and his shot hand was a blackened mess of flesh and bone. His hair was sticky, and his face was drenched in blood. Dave gently brushed aside his hair, and pressed his face against Aaron's.

-0-0-0-

They drove out of the city into a wilderness of stunted trees and sorry looking bushes. Morgan tried to think what was out here, where they could be holding his colleagues. There was nothing as far as he could remember. He couldn't hear another car, and he thought that very soon, these men would have three Federal Agents under their belts.

His heart was slamming against his chest, and for a second he thought that they would be able to hear it. Morgan had done undercover before, deeper than this, but never before had the lives of fellow officers depended on the outcome. And these two men were not just fellow officers, they were close friends too. He held his breath, trying to calm his heart, but still it felt as if it was breaking out of his chest.

'Is it much further?' he asked, but got no reply. 'What is this job you have for me?'

'Aah you wait and see. You will love it I'm sure of that.'

They drove in silence for several miles, and then pulled off the road and drove across the rough ground for a few hundred yards. Morgan could see a low concrete building ahead of him, silhouetted against the night sky. Was that where Hotch and Rossi were? Was he going to join them, or would he get an opportunity to escape?

He certainly felt as if he was a prisoner. What had happened to change the atmosphere?

'This way.' Crocker said, leading Morgan over to the building. Morgan wondered what it had been built for way out here in the middle of no where. They approached a metal door closed with a heavy padlock. Sleaze undid the lock, and opened the door. He reached in and pulled a light switch and the room was bathed in a harsh greyish yellow light.

The first thing Morgan noticed was that there was a door in the opposite wall, and it stood open. It looked as if it had been forced, as there was splintered wood around the lock.

Then he looked around the empty room and saw Hotch and Rossi, huddled in the corner. They were quite still, as if they had crawled into the corner and died like animals. They were covered with blood, Dave's face was smashed, and blood was dripping steadily from his chin onto Hotch, who was lying half on his lap. Hotch was pale and his eyes were closed. His hand was on his lap, and there was a hole on the back of it, showing blackened bone and mangled flesh. His other hand was gripping Rossi's hand. Then Morgan saw Rossi's other hand, two stumps where his fingers had been cut off. Morgan tried not to react, but it was difficult.

-0-0-0-

Dave had heard the car pull up outside, and he thought that they were coming back to kill them. At least they weren't being left there to die of thirst. He pulled Aaron closer to his chest. Aaron wasn't moving at all now, in fact, Dave could no longer feel his friend's chest move as he breathed. He thought Aaron had died in his arms, and he thought of all the things he wanted to tell him, and now would never get the chance. He touched Aaron's face with the back of his hand, and gently stroked his cool skin.

'I am sorry, Aaron ....' he said, and rested his face in Aaron's hair.

He heard the sound of the padlock and chain being loosened, and the scrape of the door opening, and he closed his eyes to the light.

-0-0-0-

Morgan tried not to react when he saw Hotch and Dave. They were very still, and Hotch was pale and sweaty in the harsh light. His prime instinct was to run to them, to help them, but he stood and waited for his orders.

'Are these the Feds?' he asked trying to sound disbelieving. 'They don't look much like Federal Agents.'

Crocker pushed something into his hand. It was Hotch and Rossi's FBI identification. Then he was given something else.

He looked at the gun in horror, realising what the special job was.

'This is an opportunity for you to show whose side you are on, Dek.' Crocker said.

Morgan fingered the gun.

'I have never shot a man in cold blood, and I am not going to now.' he said. He felt the cold of steel on the back of his neck. Dave opened his eyes and locked with Morgan's.

'They are Feds – the enemy. Now kill them, and put them out of their misery.'

Morgan raised the gun and pointed it at Dave's forehead. Suddenly he moved his arm so that the gun was pointing at Crocker, and he pulled the trigger.

Nothing happened, apart from the two men began to laugh.

'Did you honestly think we would give you a loaded gun, Dek?' Crocker said. 'Bill made you. We know who you are, and now we are going to kill you too.

Morgan backed away from the two guns that were pointing at his head, and stood beside Rossi.

'On your knees, Fed.' Sleaze said. When Morgan didn't move, Crocker lowered his gun and shot him in the leg. Morgan cried out in pain and rage, and fell to his knees in front of his captors. He clasped at the bleeding wound in his shin. He thought the bone was shattered.

'Now you die.' Sleaze said, and the sound of gunfire filled the room.


	8. Words

**Payment  
**Chapter 8  
Words

"_**One of the hardest things in life is having words in your heart that you can't utter." – James Earl Jones**_

Sleaze and Crocker froze as the bullets whistled over their heads.

'FBI. Drop your weapons.' Reid said, his and Emily's guns now pointing lower at the two men.

Crocker turned and raised his gun, and Reid fired. Crocker was dead before he hit the ground.

'Now it's your turn. Drop your weapon, or join your friend here'. Emily said.

Sleaze dropped his gun, and Emily forced him face down on the floor, where she cuffed him. Reid had his phone out and was calling the emergency services. Emily took her captive out to the car and cuffed him to the door pillar. Then she returned to her friends.

Dave wasn't sure what was going on. He couldn't understand why he was still alive. Reid gently tried to separate him from Aaron, but he refused to let go.

'It's ok, Rossi. It's Reid. We're here now. You're safe.'

Dave looked at Reid and blinked. 'Safe?'

'It's all over.'

Dave allowed Reid to move his arm from Aaron, and reluctantly gave him up to the younger man.

'Help him.' Dave murmured, and he held out his hand to Reid. He had kept Aaron safe, and now he could slip away. He closed his eyes ans fainted.

Morgan was standing again, his right leg taking his weight, leaning against the wall.

'I thought you weren't coming.' he said, his voice shaky.

'I got your text.' Reid said. 'I guessed you weren't able to call.'

Morgan closed his eyes and leaned back, saying a silent prayer of thanks.

Emily was with Rossi. She took account of his injuries, and wondered how he was able to stay conscious until now. Then she glanced across at Reid holding Hotch, and she thought that she understood.

In the distance, they heard the ambulance sirens as they drew closer. Now their survival would be in the hands of people that they didn't know.

-0-0-0-

The paramedics ran into the room, and without hesitating, crossed to the two unconscious men on the floor. Reid backed away from Hotch as the 'medics got to work.

'This man has lost two fingers. Do you still have them?'

'I'll go and look.' Emily said, and went to the door on the other side of the room. She switched on her flashlight and cautiously went down the steps into the dark damp cellar. At frist all she could see was blood. There seemed to be pools of it everywhere, dark and shining in her flash light beam. Then she saw Dave's fingers on the floor in the blood. She picked them up and ran back up the stairs again, glad to be out of the cellar.

'I have them.' she said, running back to where the 'medics were loading Rossi and Hotch onto gurneys. 'Will the doctors be able to re attach them?'

'Sometimes they can. It's always worth a try.' the 'medic said, accepting the fingers off Emily and placing them carefully in a cool box.

Hotch wasn't breathing properly, his respiration was down to seven, and his pulse erratic and thready. The 'medics intubated him, and were ready with the paddles as they carried him outside to the ambulance. Rossi had been beaten severely, and had serious facial injuries. The 'medics were surprised when Emily told them that he had been conscious until they arrived there.

'I don't know how he stayed conscious.' he said.

'He had a good reason to be.' Emily said.

Morgan refused to get on a gurney, and Reid helped him to walk to the ambulance.

With three patients in the ambulance there was no room for either Reid or Emily to ride with them. They had to deliver their captive to the PD first. They watched the ambulance drive away, and then got into their SUV and drove away from the building.

-0-0-0-

All three agents needed surgery. Morgan had a bullet lodged in his leg, and the bone needed to be pinned. Dave had facial surgery to realign the bones and muscles that had been smashed, and microsurgery on his fingers. Aaron needed to have his hand rebuilt, and his hip repaired. For Dave the surgery was long and hazardous. His jaw and nose were broken, and even his eye lid was split. When they had finished, the Aaron and Dave's beds were kept close to each other. It was hoped that the nearness of their friends and colleagues would help the recovery.

Morgan was on orthopaedics. Emily called Garcia and told her what her beloved had done, and she immediately downed tools and caught a plane to come to sit with him.

Aaron was still breathing with the help of the machine. He was on broad spectrum antibiotics for the infection in his hip. He also had bad head trauma, and the doctors told Reid and Emily that there was a chance of brain damage.

Dave was far worse though. His facial bones were pinned together, and his fingers re attached, but he was delirious, and not coming round from the anaesthetic. The staff were worried about him.

'Stay with him if you can.' the doctor said to Reid and Emily. 'He needs to feel your presence.'

Reid nodded. 'He won't be left alone.' he promised, and as if to show the doctor he meant it, he took the seat beside Dave and took his good hand in his.

Emily departed to get coffee, and Reid sat with Dave. He felt Dave's fingers curl around his hand. Reid pushed his hair back from his forehead. He felt hot and his skin was dry. He had an unhealthy pallor, and Reid was concerned for his colleague.

'It's ok, Rossi, you are safe now. There's no need to be afraid to come back to us now.'

-0-0-0-

Dave was hurting. The blackness that engulfed him was not the gentle velvet of healing, it was destructive and was beating him down towards death. He wanted to tell somebody something – something too important to allow it to die with him. He clasped the hand in his and tried to remember what he had to say but the blackness washed down his throat, and made the words go away.

He knew it was words that had to be said, loving words, but he didn't know them any more.

He was burning up. The heat was searing him, and replacing the words with terrible pain. He felt wetness on his face, and he realised he was crying. Then he remembered.

_Aaron, I love you....._

The words were there, he knew now why he could not die. He had to tell Aaron how he felt.

There was a hand holding his.

_Aaron? Is that you?_

He gripped the hand harder, and felt the grip tighten in response. He wanted to say the words – he had to say them.....

-0-0-0-

Reid felt Dave's hand tighten on his, and was ecstatic.

'He's responding!' he said happily. Emily passed him the coffee she had got from the machine along the corridor.

'I'll sit with Hotch.' she said.

Morgan was sleeping the healing sleep. He had already come round from the anaesthetic and was in no danger. Soon, Emily thought, he would be out of the bed, pretending nothing had happened. Hotch was pale and sick looking, and he and Dave were worrying the doctors. Emily took Hotch's hand and rested her head tiredly on the bed, closing her eyes. There was nothing she could do now, but wait, and be there for Hotch and Rossi when they woke up.

Reid did the same, resting his head on the bed. That was when Dave tried to speak, and Reid heard the words he said, and it broke his fragile heart.

-0-0-0-

'I love you Aaron....' Dave said. He couldn't move his mouth properly, and the words were not clear, but Reid heard them.

Reid lifted his head. Dave still had his eyes closed, and he didn't look as if he was waking up, but the words came again.

Reid's hopes were smashed like a beautiful and fragile masterpiece. Holding Dave's hand there and listening to his professed love for another man, the man he himself loved, hurt more than a sword through his being. He looked across to where Aaron was fighting for his life. Reid needed to tell him what Dave had said, but it would hurt so much ..... he didn't think he could do it.

'Dave, don't try to talk.' he said instead. He didn't think he could bear to hear the words again.

He tried to think of how he would feel if Aaron was able to return Dave's feelings. To see Aaron happy again, fulfilled in love, would be a most wonderful thing, but could he bear to lose the fragile hope he had that some day Aaron would love him?

He carefully removed his hand from Dave's and crossed the space between the beds, so that he was close to Aaron. Checking that Emily was sleeping, he touched his face gently.

'I have a message from Dave.' he said, trying to eliminate the choking sensation in his throat. 'He loves you, Aaron. You need to come back to us because he loves you.'

Reid wiped the tears from his face and sat down, devastated. A hole had opened up in his chest where his heart once was, and he couldn't see any way of healing it.

He felt light headed as he went back to sit beside Dave, his mentor and hero, and now his love rival. He took his hand again.

'It's Spencer here, Dave. I have told Aaron. He knows now. Please come back to us. We need you.'

-0-0-0-

Dave felt the blackness swirl about him, and words that he said and formed with his paralysed mouth mocked him.

Aaron had rejected the love of Spencer, young and exciting, what right did he have to try to usurp that love. He was old and ugly. How would Aaron react? He closed the eyes of his soul, and allowed the blackness to cradle him. Words he had said should have remained un said, and the hand that tried to pull him towards life was not Aaron's, but Spencer's; the hand of the man that he had hurt beyond measure.

He drifted downwards and the blackness darkened.

-0-0-0-

'Some one help!' Reid shouted. The alarm on the heart monitor showed as a flashing light above the door. The crash team suddenly filled the room and Reid stood back as paddles were applied to Dave's chest, and he jerked off the table.

'Adrenalin!' the doctor called, and Dave's heart was injected. Reid brushed away tears that didn't want to stop. Was this his fault? Had he caused this?

Dave's body jerked from the table again, and the rhythm was restored. Reid stepped forwards and took his hand again.

'Don't do that again, David! I thought we had lost you then.' He looked down at Dave's body lying there in front of him. The crash team had gone now, and Dave's jacket had been ripped apart to make room for the paddles. Gently Reid covered him up again. He looked over to Emily, who had managed to sleep through it all. He didn't see the need to waken her.

He put his head on the bed and closed his eyes, mimicking Emily's pose.

-0-0-0-

Aaron had heard the words that Spencer had told him, and he knew what that gesture had cost the young man. He knew how Dave felt, his profiling skills were second to none, but he could only offer love in return like the love of a brother. He hoped that Dave could understand that.

Aaron wanted to wake up, and was on the brink of consciousness. He clawed his way through the velvet shroud that had wrapped its way around him. He needed to wake up, he needed to see Spencer.

Aaron opened his eyes and turned his head. Emily woke up at the movement.

'Hotch, you are awake! welcome back!' she said. Aaron turned to face her.

He wanted to ask about Rossi, but the tube in his mouth prevented him from speaking. He turned his head towards Dave in the next bed.

_Oh Dave, I can't bear to hurt you ..... wake up now, please don't die....._

Dave cried in his black solitude.


	9. Recovery

A/N FLUFF ALERT FLUFF ALERT FLUFF ALERT.............................................

**Payment  
**Chapter 9  
Recovery

"_**Courage consists in the power of self-**__**recovery**__**.**__**" - Ralph Waldo Emerson**_

Garcia excitedly pushed Morgan's chair into Dave and Aaron's room. It was silent, apart from the beeping monitors. Aaron turned his head towards the visitors. It was good to see them, and to see Morgan up out of bed, although he had been unconscious when he had been shot, he had been told about his bravery. He lifted his hand in greeting.

Garcia pushed the chair between the two beds and sat down herself. Emily who had been sleeping by Aaron's side opened her eyes and smiled at them.

'I refuse to smile at you.' Garcia said, her mouth a straight line. 'One of these days you are not going to come home to me.'

'How is Rossi?' asked Morgan, his attention on the still form of his colleague in the next bed. Spencer was sleeping with his head on Rossi's pillow.

'We don't know.' Emily said. 'The doctors all say that he should have woken up by now. It's as if he has given up.'

Garcia went to the side of his bed and put her hand on top of Dave's. She was gentle. The hand was heavily bandaged.

'Why aren't you waking up, Sir?' she said. 'What happened?'

'He's badly hurt, Pen. He has been beaten and tortured. We don't know what the UnSubs wanted, but by the looks of him and Hotch, they didn't get what they wanted.'

Spencer began to stir, and he opened his eyes. He too was delighted to see Morgan and Garcia back with them again. But he was in a turmoil inside. Hotch was awake now, and he really needed to make sure that he had understood the message that he had passed on from Dave.

Dave seemed to be slipping further and further away from them. Reid still was holding his hand but the hand wasn't holding his any more, it was limp and lifeless in his. If his heart monitors weren't beeping, Reid would have thought that he had died.

'Dave, there's someone here to see you. Please wake up.....'

-0-0-0-

Dave was in the very depths of hell. He had told Aaron that he was in love with him, and there had been no response. He didn't want to come back now. He would be coming back to rejection, something he couldn't bear. He had no right to love Aaron, and expect love in return. He knew it was selfish to want to die, but he had no one to come back to, and he wanted to give up.

'.....Please wake up.'

Some one was calling him to waken but he didn't want to. No one would miss him, and even his colleagues would soon forget him.

The eyes of his soul were tightly closed and he allowed the blackness to carry him downwards. He realised that he was crying again, crying for a love that could never be his.

-0-0-0-

'He's crying again.' Spencer said. He gently wiped the tears away. He knew why David was crying, but he couldn't tell anyone. He wished that they would all go away and leave him with Hotch and Dave. He needed to be with them alone.

'Why don't you all go and get something to eat.' he said. 'I'll stay here. I'll get something later.'

'I'll bring you back a sandwich.' Emily said.

The three of them left together to go to the diner, and Reid went to Hotch's side.

'Hotch, Dave told me something that I need to make sure you heard.'

Aaron looked up at Reid and nodded slowly.

_I know...._

'David loves you, Hotch.'

Aaron nodded again.

_I know, Spencer....._

Spencer blinked back his tears. He was broken hearted, delivering this message, but he had to be sure. He took Aaron's hand.

'I understand, Hotch. I want you to be happy, and if that is with David, then I understand.' Spencer's voice was choking, as he told Aaron how he felt. Aaron gripped Spencer's hand. He longed to speak, but until the tube was removed, he couldn't say how he felt, how these feelings were swarming inside him. He needed to speak to Dave, the man who had as good as given his life for him.

He looked across to Dave who was lying inert on the bed. He lifted his hand away from Spencer and pulled the tube out of his throat. He coughed and choked, but at last he could speak.

'Spen.......' Aaron coughed, his voice was little more than a whisper. 'Spencer, don't be afraid. Nothing....' he coughed. 'Nothing has changed. I love you as a father, I love David as a brother. I can't do anything other than that.' Aaron broke into a fit of coughing. Spencer gently pulled him into a sitting position. The coughing eased, and Aaron lay back down again.

'I am going to push the beds together.' Spencer said. 'So that you can be near to David. He's not coming round, Hotch. I think he needs to know that you are ok.'

Carefully Spencer pushed the beds together, and he lifted Dave's hand so that he could hold Aaron's.

Aaron gripped Dave's hand. Dave's fingers instinctively curled around Aaron's as he fought against his inner demons.

Was life worth fighting for?

Was there any hope of ever being loved?

The battle within him raged.

-0-0-0-

Sean and JJ were on their way to the hospital. Sean was afraid of what he would find; his brother had almost died protecting him, and it wasn't the first time. The beatings Aaron took from their father – someone who should have protected both of them – had often ended with Aaron in hospital, after 'falling down stairs'. Their family were influential. No one ever suspected the father. Sean had often cried as an adult when he remembered the times when he hid and listened to Aaron's childish cries as he was beaten.

And now it had happened again – Sean relying on his brother to protect him. Sean was embarrassed and ashamed, and was reluctant to face his brother, now he knew that he was ok.

'Aaron?' he said softly as he entered the room where his brother and his colleague were lying recovering. 'Aaron, it's me, Sean.'

Aaron turned towards Sean, and smiled. 'You're ok!' he said hoarsely. 'I was worried in case they came back.'

'No. No one came back, Bro. Are you all right? I've been so scared.'

'Just aching a bit, that's all. Did they hurt you?'

'I'm fine. JJ is here to see you.'

JJ stepped forwards with a beaming smile on her face. Spencer stood up so that she could sit down. Aaron kept hold of Dave's hand under the blanket.

'Hello.' Aaron said, tilting his head towards her. 'The others have gone to get some food. You just missed them.'

-0-0-0-

David heard Aaron's voice and felt his hand in his. He hadn't rejected his friendship. He was still there. David cried inside with the relief of knowing that even though he had no right to love Aaron, Aaron was still there, wanting him to recover, pulling him back from the dark place where he was now.

The swirling mist congealed into fingers that entwined themselves around his limbs and he felt heavy and cumbersome trying to reach upwards to the light that held so much promise. For some reason he couldn't move his mouth to speak.

He mumbled Aaron's name.

The hand gripped tighter. He opened his eyes.

'Aaron ..... where are you?'

'I am here, Dave. Right next to you. I won't leave you. You are safe now.' Hotch whispered.

Dave turned to Aaron, his soft brown eyes locked with Aaron's dark eyes. For a moment the world passed between them and Dave understood.

Aaron knew, accepted and loved him as a brother.

Moving was difficult for Dave. His head was in a metal cage bolted to his cheek bones and forehead, holding his face together. His teeth were wired closed, and speaking was very difficult. His hand throbbed where he had lost two fingers and he had a broken arm and cracked ribs.

But he was alive, and so was Aaron.

-0-0-0-

Morgan was out of hospital and Hotch was allowed out of bed. Dave was still critical, and the cage was still holding his face together. Aaron and Spencer spent most of their time either sleeping or sitting with Dave. Dave was being fed through a straw until the cage could be removed. He was frustrated and in pain as he tried to cope.

He expressed doubts as to whether he would come back to the BAU or not, since the case that brought him back was solved now. He wasn't sure how he would cope with working along side Aaron and Spencer, knowing that he had poured out his heart to them when he was sick. And all three having personal issues to deal with day to day.

His love for Aaron was to be a lonely fire in his heart for as long as they were together, and he understood fully for the first time how Reid felt all these years, having such deep feelings and leaving them un said.

When the doctor finally said that Dave was to have surgery to remove the cage and the clamps holding his teeth together, he was relieved. Speaking was so difficult, it would be good to be able to express himself. The doctor said that moving his jaw would hurt for a few weeks until he got used to moving it again, and his beard had become unruly in the cage. He felt like the man in the iron mask. It would be good to be free of it.

When he came back from surgery, he was awake already and the first thing he wanted to do was express his feelings for Aaron properly, but the little room was full of the BAU team, and he didn't get the opportunity. The Doctors said it would be another week before he could go home, as long as there was someone there for him. Aaron promised that he wouldn't have to be alone. Then in a month, if all went well, he would be able to return to work.

That was something that he needed to discuss with Aaron.

And he needed to talk to Spencer too. Reid needed to know that they weren't love rivals, and that Aaron's love for Dave didn't include romantic love. Dave was ok with that. He had had his fair share of relationships, and none seemed to work out. There was a time that he wondered if this was why all his marriages failed, but he dismissed that after thinking long and hard about it.

His marriages failed because he was no good at relationships, and he had no reason to believe that this one with Aaron would be any different. He had talked to Reid, and they had laughed about it.

But still, every time Aaron came near him, his stomach lurched and he wondered, as Spencer had, if his feelings for Aaron would get in the way of his work. Hotch persuaded him to stay on in the BAU, although Dave had his reservations.

'You are too much of a professional to allow this to colour your actions at work.' Aaron had said, and his vote of confidence had brightened him up. He didn't want to leave. Aaron was vulnerable, and Dave wanted to watch him.

Aaron looked after his team.

Dave looked after Aaron.

END

A/N There will be a sequel, but I don't know what it will be called yet. See you in a day or two – Aggie x


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